Chase straightened his back and stared intently at Lizelle. Her expression was serious, as if she were addressing a matter of great importance.
It was so cute he had to work hard to suppress the smile threatening to spread across his face.
“This place is well-known among the elite, so you can rest assured.”
His gentle eyes looked at her with an unmistakable fondness.
Chase admired her consideration as she whispered to him, careful not to let the staff overhear her concerns.
It was thoughtful of her.
Consideration to keep employees from hearing negative comments about the restaurant.
No matter how much the customer is king, a single word could deeply wound them.
Lizelle had clearly taken that into account by whispering.
“Really…? Then why are there no customers?”
It was just past lunchtime, and unless it was a break period, it didn’t make sense for the restaurant to be completely empty.
If it wasn’t failing, there were only two possible reasons.
The food was terrible, or it was so expensive that customers didn’t dare enter.
Unaware that Chase rented out the entire restaurant, Lizelle couldn’t help but be confused by the lack of customers.
“This way, please.”
The manager guided them to a table by a large window.
“This is the most popular seat in the restaurant.”
Still somewhat skeptical, Lizelle carefully took her seat and finally understood the manager’s words.
“It’s beautiful.”
Looking through the window, Lizelle couldn’t take her eyes off the breathtaking view outside.
Her earlier doubts melted away.
The reason they walked so far into the interior of the restaurant became clear.
Unlike the front of the building, which was better for people-watching, the back offered a truly spectacular view.
The backyard of the building, with its terrace, looked like a small arboretum.
The various plants were clearly reflected through the window.
It felt like looking at a famed work of art.
“The chef has prepared a special new course menu just for the three of you. Shall we proceed with it?”
“My lady, is that acceptable?”
Chase asked, seeking Lizelle’s approval.
“Yes, that sounds great.”
“Go ahead and prepare it.”
“Right away.”
The manager nodded slightly before leaving to prepare the meal.
“I want to go outside!”
Raphel, captivated by the scenery, was restless in his seat.
“Raphel, you can’t behave like this in public. Let’s go to the terrace after we finish eating, okay?”
“Okay!”
Lizelle calmed the fidgety Raphel.
He then sat quietly, hugging his star-shaped bag tightly to his chest.
“You wouldn’t see this view even if you went out to the terrace.”
“Huh? Why not?”
“It’s an illusion spell.”
At Chase’s explanation, Lizelle’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked out the window again.
“This is magic?”
The scene was more realistic than reality itself.
Butterflies and bees hovered around vividly colored flowers, and birds rested momentarily on large rocks.
The landscape that looked so real that she felt as if stepping outside would fill her lungs with the scent of grass, was magic…
“And the restaurant’s fame is largely due to this illusion spell.”
Chase added smoothly, as if he’d known it all along.
The information Rohan diligently gathered the night before had come in handy.
“The fact that it’s magic is even more impressive than the view.”
Lizelle murmured in awe.
Just looking at the size of the garden, it would be over 100 pyeong.
The cost of casting illusion magic over this vast space would be enormous.
“It can even be changed to a different view.”
Chase couldn’t help but feel proud of himself at Lizelle’s curious reaction.
“Like what?”
“How about the seaside?”
“You can change this garden into a seaside view?”
As Lizelle stared at him in disbelief, Chase raised a hand to summon a staff member.
“Do you require anything, Your Grace?”
“Change the garden to a seaside view.”
“Understood. I’ll make the change immediately.”
A few seconds after the staff member left—
“Wow!”
“This is incredible…”
Lizelle and Raphel gasped in amazement, pressing themselves against the window.
Just as Chase said, the garden transformed into a shimmering seaside.
Though the restaurant was located in the middle of the city, the scene before them looked as though they were dining on the coast.
The bright sunlight glistened on the blue waves.
The tranquil sea sparkled as if stars had fallen into it.
The white sandy beach was pristine, as if no footprints had ever touched it.
If she walked barefoot on the white sandy beach, the fine sand would gently dig between her toes…
“I’m glad you like it.”
Chase chuckled as he looked at the backs of the two heads pressed against the window.
From the back, their heads looked so similar that it was almost amusing.
Though Raphel was his nephew, he seemed to resemble Lizelle more than his own uncle.
They looked just like a family.
Chase, Raphel, and Lizelle fit together so naturally, as if they were destined to be one.
“It’s magnificent.”
She was able to see the sea here.
She couldn’t hide her excitement.
The place where she was born and raised as a child was a shabby house located near the sea.
There, she would always fall asleep in her mother’s arms, with the sound of the sea as her lullaby.
Very rarely, on her mom’s day off, they walked along the white sand beach together.
Her small hand clutching her mother’s larger, warm one.
A memory from her childhood. It was an old and faded memory, but it was an unforgettable moment that would stay in her heart for the rest of her life.
Her nose stung and her eyes turned red at the thought of old memories.
After Wilhazelle calmed down her overflowing emotions, she turned her head and looked at Chase.
“It’s truly beautiful.”
A bright smile appeared on Lizelle’s face.
“…”
At that moment, Chase froze as if struck by lightning.
The moment he saw her smile, his heart dropped like a stone.
The soft blush on her cheeks and her radiant smile were more beautiful and fragrant than any flower.
Thump, thump, thump.
His heart pounded so furiously that it felt as if it might burst.
It was like staring directly at sunlight reflected off a snowy plain, leaving him dazed and overwhelmed.
The impulse to hold her in his arms right then and there was almost too strong to resist, even shocking himself.
“It’s a pity it’s magic. Someday, I’d love to see and walk along a real sea like this.”
“The sea? This is the sea?”
“Yes, Raphel, this is what the sea looks like.”
Lizelle explained, stroking Raphel’s curious face with a gentle smile.
Now that she thought about it, she had been about Raphel’s age when she first visited the beach with her mother.
“The sea is beautiful! It sparkles like stars!”
Raphel was very amazed by the sea he was seeing for the first time in his life.
The sea water sparkled like countless stars in the dark night sky, and it was so beautiful.
“I’ll move the mansion to the seaside.”
Chase spoke without hesitation, breaking Raphel’s awestruck silence.
He was already mentally planning to relocate the estate.
The village of Gersia, located far from the capital city of Barek, was ideally located on the coast.
It was such a long distance that it would take several days to get there by carriage, but he could endure such hardships for Lizelle.
“You sounded so serious that I almost believed you.”
When Lizelle saw the serious Chase, she burst into laughter as if she found it amusing.
She thought he was someone who never joked, but he had this side to him as well.
She thought Chase was joking because he saw her love of the sea.
All the business conducted by the Duke’s family was carried out in the capital.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that all the money circulating in the capital came from the Halos Duchy.
So, it was impossible and unreasonable for the Duke of Halos to leave the capital.
Still, Lizelle was grateful that he was considerate of her feelings and made a joke.
“Is that so?”
Chase didn’t deny it. He simply watched her laugh.
He wanted to see that radiant smile for as long as possible.
He didn’t want to take away that smile that made even those watching happy, just because of a few words.
But in his mind, he began meticulously planning. How to move the estate to the coast.
Perhaps it would be better to purchase an entire island instead.
As he watched her innocent laughter, Chase smiled softly.
He wished her smile would never leave her face. And he wanted to be the one to ensure that.
She brought so many new things into his life.
New thoughts, new feelings, new attitudes.
Even emotions he had never known or understood before.
And now, he knew all too well that this feeling was love.
Feeling his heart race once more, Chase realized something again.
The place he belonged was by her side.
